The Ho Hum Sisters

Time keeps ticking by, and we’re getting more and more information on the new Hong Sisters drama, Jeju Gatsby, or Warm and Cozy drama, or whatever they want to call it and I find myself feeling… underwhelmed.

This isn’t a new feeling either.

From the very start, the announcement of the drama, the casting of the leads, and now to the teasers, each bit of news has been a bit of a puzzler. The Hong Sisters, known for their big, wacky dramas, their big star castings and general tomfoolery, definitely seem to be playing it low key.

Look at just their last three dramas.

Master’s Sun: Stars So Ji Sub and Gong Hyo Jin. Woman who can sees ghosts falls for a chaebol heir who is not only haunted by a ghost but has some sort of magical ability to stop her from seeing the ghosts whenever she touches him. Hijinks ensue from there.

Big: Gong Yoo and… some girl. (But really when you have Gong Yoo as your hero, you could pretty much cast anyone as the girl.) Man and a boy get into an accident and swap souls. Man-child now must deal with being stuck in an adult body—an adult body who is engaged to his teacher! Hijinks ensue from there.

Greatest Love: Stars, Gong Hyo Jin and Cha Seung Won. Has-been girl group member frantic to get back her stardom keeps butting heads with a top star actor. Hijinks ensue from there.

Warm And Cozy? This drama seems pretty much exactly as it sounds. And starring what’s his face whose greatest claim to fame so far was a b-lead on a network drama? While I have no issue with Kang Sora at all, as I was really impressed with her acting in Misaeng, it does seem that she is missing the mega star power that the Hong Sisters usually pull in.

Do you think the Hong Sisters are going out of their way to make a smaller, quieter drama? From a mellow premise to two mid-weight stars, this seems to be the case, but why? And more importantly, why are the networks giving them the okay with this? There are very few drama writers out there with as much clout as these two. With drama numbers on the decline and the networks in a serious panic, you’d think they’d want them to come out with the big guns.

On the other hand, a quiet drama with mid-weight stars, this is probably going to be a much cheaper drama for them to produce and therefore would have lesser expectations to get those big numbers. (And being me, I do personally like a quiet drama.)

While I’m not the biggest fan of the Hong Sisters’ dramas, by the end of them, I do miss the anticipation of them. With the other dramas they were always THE BIG THING on the horizon. “Did you hear about the Hong Sisters’ new drama?” “Who do you think they are going to cast?” “OMG! Did you hear who the Hong Sisters just cast in their new drama?” “I can’t wait for the new Hong Sisters’ drama!”

The buzz is always so much fun to get into, but this year? Nothing. It’s a sad state of things.

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The more I see the teasers & previews of Warm & Cozy the more I agree. Although Master’a Sun was not perfect I really enjoyed it for the most part. I thought they had a very clear & strong concept. It def stood out but with Warm & Cozy I’m not really getting a defined idea. I hope that I’must wrong it become a must watch for me. I will check it out because I like Master’s Sun & not really because I’m anticipating the storyline.